The Backgammon Doubling Cube History Tournament play The Backgammon Doubling Cube History Backgammon, in its original form, did not use the doubling cube. Common backgammon, played for single points does not use the doubling cube either. For that reason, many players have never used one before and when first faced with the option and opportunity to do so, might not understand what it means and how it affects the game. The original doubling cube was introduced to Backgammon in the 1920s. However, tracing back the roots of the cube to much earlier times, a similar item was used as far back as the 17th century in a game very similar to backgammon. It is unknown if the doubling cube used in the 1600s was reintroduced 250 years later or if someone came up with the idea anew after all that time had passed. The doubling cube itself is a simple cube with six sides similar to the dice that sits in the middle of the board during a game. On the cube are the numbers 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64.

Each number represents an increase in the stakes of any given backgammon game. The first turn of the game has the doubling cube placed in the center of the board with 64 facing upwards. This represents 1 times the normal stakes, meaning no one has yet doubled. When a player doubles, they turn the cube to the next highest value, in this case 2, and then 4 and so on. After a player has doubled, if the opponent accepts the double, they are given possession of the cube and have the sole right to decide if the stakes should rise again during the game. The doubling cube is only used during match play. A match in Backgammon is a series of games in which players strive to earn enough points to reach the target amount. The amount of points necessary to win a match varies depending on the format and circumstances of the match. This style of play makes it so players can focus on the larger picture rather than any one game. Each game in a match is worth one point. However, the doubling cube is introduced to allow players the ability to raise the stakes or value of that game exponentially. When the game begins, neither player has control of the doubling cube. It sits in the middle of the board.

If a player feels they might win the game, they can use the doubling cube and double the stakes. The decision to do so must be done before a turn begins. The opponent is then given the opportunity to accept the double or decline it. If the opponent decides he does not have a chance to come back and win, he can decline the cube and surrender the game. The winning player then gains 1 point in the match. However, if they accept the cube, the value of the game rises to 2 points and the cube is given to the player who accepted the double. From now on, the player with the cube is the only one who may decide to double the game. Using the doubling cube adds a psychological and mathematical level to the game that enhances money and tournament play. It makes the game harder and more compelling. BG Calendar Backgammon Glossary/Doubling Cube Doubling Cube Doubling Cube A cubical block, slightly larger than a regular die , with the numbers 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64 marked on its faces. It is used for keeping track of the increase in stakes of the game and the player who next has the right to double .

The cube starts in the middle with the number 64 facing up (representing a value of 1). When you offer a double, you turn the cube to its next higher value and pass it to your opponent. If he accepts your double, he places the cube on his side of the board and becomes the owner of the cube . After the first double of a game, only the player who last accepted a double may make the next double. Rules that affect use of the doubling cube: automatic doubles , the Jacoby rule , and beavers . The Backgammon Doubling Cube Made Simple The Doubling Cube Made Simple by Phil Simborg, 2008 I am going to talk to you about something that I consider to be one of the most irritating things that can happen in backgammon. You are rolling the dice and playing along and having a really nice time, and then all of a sudden your opponent does something extremely irritating and rude: He doubles you! What a nasty thing to do, especially since you are probably not really happy about how the game has been going. Now, thanks to your extremely inconsiderate opponent, you are often faced with a very tough and ugly decision.

You have a lot to think about, and it's often very complicated. You have to look at the board and you have to try to guess just how often you are likely to lose the game. You also have to estimate the number of times you might get gammoned or backgammoned. And when you've done that, you're still not finished, as you have to take into account how often you might gammon or backgammon your opponent if things go well for you. And you're still not throughyou have to think about the volatility of the game and how much opportunity you might have to give the cube back if things go well. Coming up with decent estimates of the above factors is a combination of science, art, memory, experience, and intuition, and believe me when I tell you that even the best players in the worldeven the computer programsoften get it wrong. Most players below the Championship level (and even some in the Championship level) believe that once they have done the above estimations, they are done. But the truth is, they are only half done!

So what if you have come to the conclusion that you would win the game about 40% of the time and you might get gammoned about 20% of the time, and if things go well you might gammon your opponent 10% of the time? Even if you are extremely accurate in those estimates, unless you know what your take-point is at the match score, you have no idea whether to take or drop the cube. At some scores you should take if your net winning/gammon chances are around 31% (2-away/2-away), and at other scores your take point can be as low as 18% (2-away/4-away). The same thing applies to your decision in giving the cube. How do you know when it is right to give your opponent the cube unless you also know what his take point is? If his take point is 18% you really should have an extremely strong game before you give the cube (or have excellent gammon chances, depending on your score), but if he can and should take the cube much higher, you should be giving the cube sooner.

One of the major reasons it is so irritating when your opponent gives you the cube is because you are often in a quandary about whether to take or drop. It's not fun being put in a position where you know you will often make the wrong decision. I have decided to make this situation far less irritating for you, by helping you do a better job of making the right decision. Now, I'm not the first to try to do thisthere are hundreds of books and articles advising how to use the doubling cube and how to figure take points and match equity. Why haven't more players read, understood, and memorized them? I think it's because most of those books and articles are written for very advanced players and they are far too complicated for the average player. While I cannot help you, in this article, to do you estimations of wins and losses and gammons in a given positionI know no other way to get good at this except for experience and study and the good old school of hard knocks. I can help you understand your take points in a more simplified manner so that at least half the battle becomes clearer for you. At the beginning of every single game you play, you should stop and think about your cube strategy.

If you wait until after you start and wait until there is cube action, you are too latefor two reasons. First, your cube strategy at any given score affects your checker playit even affects many plays on the first and second rolls of the game! Secondly, you are, in effect, making a cube decision every time you roll. If you don't know the strategy from the start, you are more likely to pass up a cube opportunity. Put simply, if you want to play backgammon well, you must know, or have a good approximation of your take point and your opponent's take point every game you play. Few players do this, again, because it is complicated if you use exact numbers, and difficult to remember all those numbers. I hope to make this a little easier for you. The important thing about the score in a match is not how many points you or your opponent has, it's how many points you or your opponent needs to win the match. That is called the away score. If you are playing a match to 7 and you both have 3 points, you are both 4-away from winning.

The same is true if you are playing a match to 5 and you both have 1 point, and it's true if you are playing a match to 21 and you both have 17. The cube and checker strategy and takes points are the same in all three matches. And that is why, when you are playing, you need to think in terms of away points. To further simply the strategy, I am going to give you some simplified cube strategies and take points for matches that are 5-away/5-away (both players are 5 away from winning) or less. It is at those scores, when the match gets closer, that the cube decisions generally become more complicated and are more critical, as a wrong cube decision is more likely to cost you the match. Also, I am only going to deal with initial cubes in this article. Redoubling is a whole 'nuther ball of wax. (I recently read a great article on that subject by Steve Saxcall him if you want a copy!) If you will study and learn this summary, I promise you that you will play better, win more, and not feel quite so irritated when you get the cube in the future.

(By the way, I make no guarantees about my promise.) Since most of us are familiar with the cube strategy for money games, we use that as a basis for many of our decisions. In money games, we know the take point is around 25%. If you take every cube and win 25% of the time you will break even. We know that this 25% number must be adjusted to account for gammons and backgammons, and we also know that since there is an advantage in holding the cube (you can end the game or double the game any time and he can't), the take point can actually be as low as 23 percent if you are in a game where there could be reasonable opportunity for a redouble. At most match scores, you will not be far off using money cube strategy to make your doubling and taking decisions. Around 25% applies pretty well if you are both farther than 5-away/5-away, or if you are tied at 5-away/5-away, and 4-away/4-away.

If you are winning 3-away/4-away, you can actually take around 20%, as the score gives you a much bigger advantage in the match if you win than the disadvantage you have if you lose. If you happen to be the losing 4-away/3-away, you're still around that 25% money game range. A big factor at this score is the gammon risk. If you are losing and there is a double, gammons win you the match and you get the full value of the 4 points for winning a gammon. The leader only needs 3 points to win the match, so the gammon does not give him as great a value. Therefore, if you are losing, be much quicker to give the cube if there are reasonable gammon risks, and if you are the leader at this score, be much quicker to drop the cube if there are reasonable gammon risks. The score of 2-away/4-away is one of the most interesting and complex scores in backgammon. The main thing to remember is that no matter which player you are, your take point is around 18 percent. The biggest difference in the strategy between the leader and the trailer is the value of gammons.

If you are ahead and the cube is turned, winning gammons doesn't mean a thing--you only need 2 points to win the match. But if the cube is not turned at all, you can win the match by winning a gammon. If you are the trailer and you need 4 points to win the match, obviously a gammon is of huge importance to you once the cube is turned. Also, once the cube is turned it doesn't matter if you get gammoned, but before the cube is turned, getting gammoned is fatal. These factors should be taken into account in all of your checker plays and cube decisions. Now, whether you are the leader or the trailer at this score, since you know that your opponent's take point is 18 percent, far below that of a money game, and since you know your opponent is likely to take all but very, very tough positions, you probably should not turn the cube until you get to a pretty strong position. One of the most common mistakes that beginner and intermediate players make at this score is when they are losing they think they should turn the cube quickly. When you give the cube too early at this score, you are giving your opponent a major edge in winning the match.

Another very common mistake is often made by players who are ahead at this score, as they often drop too quickly, thinking that is the best way to preserve their lead. When they get the cube too soon, they are given a golden opportunity to win the match with a relatively smaller risk if they lose the game, and they often throw this gift away. Again, you have to be careful to consider gammon risks in your decisions. If you are trailing and have strong gammon potential, you might well give the cube even if you are only a slight favorite in the win/loss department. 2-away/2-away is one of the most misunderstood scores in backgammon, but it is one of the easiest to handle. If you are ahead at all, even as little as 1 percent, you should double. The reasoning is simple: if you are winning, wouldn't you rather play the game for the entire match than just for one point? If you are getting the cube you should take as long as you think you will win more than 1/3 of the time (actual take point is 31.5%).

The reason is that if you drop, your odds of winning the match are 31.5% (you have to win two games in a row, or win a gammon or backgammon on the first game). So if you win the match more by taking the cube than by dropping, take it. Gammons don't matter at all after the cube is turned, so you only have to consider wins and losses. Free drops. Another consideration in cube strategy is the post-Crawford cube strategy. If you get to 1-away from winning, because of the Crawford rule, you cannot be doubled for one game. After that game, it makes sense for your opponent to double every game immediately. So if you are the one who is losing, you should turn the cube right away. If you are the one winning and you are given the cube right away, or even later in the game if your opponent did not choose to double quickly, you have a decision to make. For the purposes of this discussion, let's assume your opponent doubles you after the first roll of the game, as he generally should.

If he needs 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, or any even number of points to win the match, you have what is known as a free drop . It costs you very little to drop the cube, so if he has a favorable position, even very slight, after the first roll, you should drop the cube. If he needs an odd number of points to win the match, however, a drop is very costly, and you would take any cube he gives you after the first roll. Let me give you a couple of examples and some explanation to illustrate this thinking. Let's suppose you are winning 4 to 1 and it's post-Crawford. Your opponent wins the opening roll and rolls a 6-1 and makes his bar point, and you roll a 5-3 and make your 3 point. Now, he doubles. You should pass. According to Snowie, he is only 54% to win the game, but you lose very little by passing, and there is no reason to play if he has any kind of edge at all. The same is true if you were winning 4-3 and he doubles in this situation.

You have a free drop. The reason is this: if you take the cube a 4-3, then whoever wins the game wins the match. If you drop the cube and the score becomes 4-4, whoever wins the next game wins the match, but maybe on that next game he won't have an advantage after the opening roll! With a score of 4-1, in order for him to win the match, he has to win 2 games with the cube turned or one gammon with the cube turned. If you drop the cube, it's the same! He still has to win two games in a row, or a gammon on the first game. Now that you have the basic take point factors down cold (I'm sure you've memorized everything I've written), let me give you some of my favorite Rules of Thumb to apply to your cube decisions. Use Woolsey's Law . If you are thinking about doubling, first put yourself in your opponent's shoes and ask yourself if you would take or drop.

If you are sure it's a drop, then for sure it's a double (unless you are too good because of gammons.) If you are sure it's a take, you might still have a double, but be careful. If you think it's a take but you are not sure it is right to take, or if you think it's a drop but are not sure it is right to drop, then for sure it is a double. If you are unsure, hopefully, your opponent isn't sure either, and he might well make a mistake and make the wrong decision. There is no chance for him to make a wrong decision if you don't cube. Use Simborg's Law. If you are thinking about doubling, put yourself in your opponent's shoes and ask yourself if you are really hoping your opponent will not cube. If you think your opponent would hate getting the cube, the for sure, give it to him. The basic fundamental of Simborg's Law is that you want to cause as much pain as possible for your opponent. (It's a lot like my first two marriages.) You should apply the same thing to taking or dropping cubes.

If you are given the cube, put yourself in your opponent's shoes, and if you think he would love to see you drop, then it's probably a take; and if you think he'd love to see you take, then it's probably a drop. Your goal is to make your opponent unhappy as much as possible. Study. The best way to learn about when to cube or not cube, and when to take or not take, is through study. Unless you constantly check your decisions by seeing what the bots (Snowie, GnuBG and Jellyfish) say, you will not improve in your judgment. There is no way around itif you want to be a good backgammon player, you must make good cube decisions, and the only way to sharpen those skills is through experience and study. I want to close by saying that this is a highly simplified discussion of cube strategy that I believe will be helpful for beginner and intermediate players to understand and apply. Once you get your game to a more advanced level, I strongly urge you to study take points, match equity, price of gammons, and other theories relating to cube handling, in a much more thorough and detailed fashion.

Again, there are many books and articles to help you, and many really great teachers and coaches. One that just happens to come to mind at this moment can be reached at the email address below. Phil Simborg is a fulltime backgammon player and teacher. You can contact Phil at: psimborg@sbcglobal.net or visit his GAMMONLIFE–BACKGAMMON RULES by Michael Strato Introduction There are many differant games one can play on a backgammon board, each with its own set of backgammon rules and different starting positions, but “standard backgammon” is the international version played at live backgammon tournaments worldwide, and on most Internet backgammon play sites. Read these Backgammon Rules and you will quickly learn how to play this wonderful board game of skill and luck. Information on other games that can be played on a backgammon board are found in GammonLife’s Variants Section . The Rules of Backgammon Backgammon is a game played between two opposing sides on a board marked with 24 triangles called “points”.

Each side has 15 checkers of a different colour that move in opposite directions counting the points as spaces according to the numbers rolled by a pair of dice. The player first to get his checkers around, and then off the board, wins the game. In addition to their checkers, each player has a pair of dice and a dice cup (to shake and toss the dice). There is also a doubling cube which is initially placed in the middle of the tray on one side of the board. This cube is marked with the numbers 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64 and is used for doubling the stakes in a game. Setting Up The Board The backgammon board consists of four sections (quadrants) of six points each - the points in backgammon are also known as “pips”. The vertical strip down the middle of the board is called the “bar” and it is where checkers are placed after they are “hit” or "sent back" .

The set up of the board, the numbers of each point and the names of the four quadrants are shown below: The board may also be set up in the reverse position of the above, like this: Backgammon players should learn to play using both starting positions and please note that real backgammon boards do not come marked with the numbers of the points, names of the quadrants nor the word "Bar". The next two diagrams show the direction each player moves his checkers: As can be seen, the players move their checkers against each other in opposite directions, clockwise and counter-clockwise, leading to encounters along the way. Starting a Game – Moving the Checkers To start a game, the players toss only one die each and the player with the higher number must make the first move using both numbers of what is called the “opening roll”. However, if the players toss the same number, they must roll a single die again until they do roll different numbers. After the opening roll, players alternate turns by rolling a pair of dice. To roll the dice, a player shakes them in the cup several times and then tosses them onto his right-hand side of board from a reasonable height so that they bounce and roll.

The dice must land flatly on the surface of board for the roll to be valid. If the dice are “cocked”, leaning on one of their edges against a checker or against the inside wall of the board, the roll does not count and must be repeated. The roll is also repeated if one or both dice land on top of a checker and stay there, or if one or both dice bounce anywhere out of the right side of the board. If the dice land in between checkers, as long as they have come to rest flatly on the surface of board, the roll is considered valid. A player’s furthest checkers are on his 24 point in his opponent’s home board and these and all his other checkers must move in descending numerical order towards the 1 point. When a player has two or more checkers on a triangle he is said to own that point, and his opponent may not land on these “closed or made points” nor use them in moving the numbers of his dice roll. Thus a player’s checkers can only land on unoccupied points or those he already owns.

(There is no limit to how many checkers a player may have on any point.) And to be more precise, a player must use the exact numbers showing on the dice roll as moves. One checker can use both numbers, but as separate moves, or different checkers can use each number separately. Therefore, if a player has a 2 and 3 to play, even though there might be an unoccupied point five spaces away from one of his checkers, that particular checker cannot be moved if his opponent owns the two points that are 2 and 3 spaces away from his checker since both numbers are blocked. However, all numbers rolled must be played if possible, so he must try his moves with his other checkers elsewhere on the board. When a player rolls the same number on both dies, such as a 5 and a 5, it is called a “doublet” or “double”, and the player gets to play that number four times instead of just two – he may move as many of the four as possible with any combination of his checkers. Due to blocked points, on any roll, a player will sometimes be able to use only one of the numbers showing on the dice and in some cases neither.

However, in a case where he can use one or the other but is then blocked to move the second number, the higher number must be played. When a player leaves a checker alone on a point, it becomes a “blot”, and if the opponent rolls the right number or combination of numbers, he has the option to ”hit” or “send back” one or more blots, although he may choose not to hit at all if there a more strategic play available. When a player hits a blot, he must lift the checker off the point and place it on the vertical “bar” in the centre of the board. Then, on the next roll, the opponent must try to “re-enter" and “re-circulate” the checker, playing it back onto the board from the bar by counting in from the 24 point. One can only re-enter, or "come down" from the bar, onto “open points” in an opponent’s home board. If one does not roll the number(s) of an open point(s), he may not play his dice rolls with other checkers elsewhere on the board.

In the case where an opponent has filled in all six of his home board points, the player on the bar is “closed out” and does not get to roll again until his opponent does open a point he can enter on. Please note that it is impossible that both players get closed out on the bar and that there are no draws or stalemates in backgammon. Owning points is good strategy, and when a player makes several consecutive points in a row anywhere on the board it is called a “prime”. Primes can hinder a player from getting his checkers home while his opponent advances his own army forward. However, the shorter the prime the easier it is for an opponent to roll numbers that jump over a prime. The best is a six-point prime which is impassable although a player may continue to move other checkers not being blocked by the six-point prime, unless, as explained above, the player has one or more checkers on the bar and the six points of a home board are closed. The Bear Off Process Once all 15 checkers are inside the home board a player begins to bear them off according to the rolls of the dice.

A checker on the 6 point can be removed with a 6 on a dice roll, one from the 5 point with a 5, and so forth. Here is where doublets can come in handy to win the race as there are times when a player will be able to bear off four checkers on a single roll. If for example, while bearing off, a player has rolled a 5 but no longer has any checkers on the 5 point, but does have one or more checkers on his 6 point, he must move the 5 from his 6 point over to his 1 point. If he has no checkers on either the 5 or 6 point and has rolled a 5, or even a 6 for that matter, he is allowed to remove a checker from the next lower point where checkers remain. If a player still has checkers in the home board of one who is bearing off, or that player is still on the bar, the one bearing off should attempt to make moves that do not leave blots.

If a blot is exposed and is hit by an opponent, the bear off is delayed until the checker that has been hit re-circulates from the bar into his opponent’s home board on the other side of the board and back around into his own home board - in other words, one must have all his checkers in his homeboard in order to continue bearing off. To further explain the above, if a player has two checkers on his 6 point and two on his 5 point and he rolls a 6-5, if his opponent is waiting on the 2 point for a blot to open, the player does not have to bear off one checker from the 5 point and another from the 6 point for this will leave two blots. To avoid being hit, it is perfectly legal to bear off one from the 6 point and move the other one on the 6 point with the 5 of the dice roll over to the 1 point.

When bearing off, a beginner player may sometimes arrive at a position where it appears as if he has to move both the numbers of his roll inside his board without taking a checker off, but that depends on the position – if a player has four checkers left to bear off, one on each of his 1, 2, 5 and 6 points, and the player rolls a 4 and a 3, no checker comes off, the player must move the 4 and 3 using the checkers on his 5 and 6 point. However, if a player has, for example, two checkers on his 1 point, two on his 3 point and one on his 6 point, and rolls a 5-2, he does not have to play the 5 from the 6 point to the 1 point and then the 2 from his 3 point to his 1 point. Instead, he may first play the 2, from his 6 point to his 4 point, and then bear the checker off from his 4 point using the 5 of the dice roll. Scoring The first player to bear off all his checkers wins the game.

However, if an opponent fails to bear off at least one checker from his home board or is caught with one or more checkers still outside his home board, in the outer board areas, the winner scores a “gammon”. A gammon is worth twice the points or stakes being played for in “match play”, a series of games played up to a certain number of points, or, twice the current wager in a “money game”, a series of single games played at predefined stakes. If the winner has removed all his checkers and his opponent still has one or more checkers in the winner’s home board, or on the bar, the winner scores a ”backgammon”, which is worth triple the number of points or current wager. The Doubling Cube The doubling cube is used to raise the stakes in a game. It has six sides individually marked with the numbers 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64 on its faces. It is not used in a 1-point match, or single game, unless one is playing a money game.

Anytime after the opening roll in match play, and before he rolls his dice, a player who believes he has an advantageous position may offer his opponent to play for twice the stakes. The doubler takes the cube from the centre of the tray and places it in the middle of the board with the number 2 face up and says “I double”. His opponent agrees to play on by saying “I take”, lifting the cube and placing it in the tray on his side of the board with the 2 showing face up. If the opponent refuses the cube, he says “I drop” or “I pass” and the current games ends with the doubler scoring the win. If a player who has accepted a cube wishes to re-double his opponent later in the game, the cube is offered back at 4 and if taken can be re-offered later by the original doubler at 8, and so on. But for example, if the players are in a 7-point match there is no need to double higher than 8, since 8 points will end a 7-point match in the current game.

If for example, the players are tied 3-3 in the score of a 7-point match, there is no need to double higher than 4. However, the cube may go up to 16, 32 or 64 in longer matches and in money games. When the cube has been used in a game that results in a gammon or backgammon, the winner gets wins twice (for a gammon) or three times (for a backgammon) the number of points showing on the cube. Therefore, in the example of a 7-point match, the match would end in one game if the cube reaches 4 since a gammon would be worth 8 points and a backgammon 12 points. The Crawford and Jacoby Rules There are a couple of additional rules regarding the doubling cube. In match play, the Crawford Rule states that when one of the players reaches a score where he is just one point away from winning the match, the doubling cube may not be used in the following game. However, if the leader does not win the match in that game, the doubling cube maybe be used by his opponent in all subsequent games until the end of the match.

In money games, the Jacoby Rule is an optional rule - players can agree to play with "the Jacoby" or not. When used, this rule states that when no cube has been offered in the money game, then gammons and backgammons do not count and do not scored as such. Improve Your Game Now that you know how to play backgammon get out your board and try a few games with friends or family members. If you wish to learn how to play the game better, sharpen your skills with the help of backgammon expert Paul Money in his GammonLife series called “Beginners Please” . Paul will tell you the best way to play the opening rolls, how to calculate odds and probabilities and much more. You can also get a free program called GNUBG that you can play against on your computer. In addition to a teaching feature, the program will also analyze your skill level and show you where you made errors. You may also use it to analyze yourself and others you play against on the Internet, if the server where you play allows you to save a "match file". To download the program and to learn how to use its many features please see Robert-Jan Veldhuizen's GNU Tutorial . .

Copyright © 2006-2011 by GammonLife.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be broadcast, published, re-written, or re-distributed in any form. Learning to Use the Backgammon Doubling Cube Backgammon1on1 com | All About Backgammon | Backgammon - Scoring | Learning to Use the Backgammon Doubling Cube While the majority of the informal players of backgammon are not familiar with the doubling cube, it is one of the most essential devices in advanced backgammon tactics and in cash games and tournaments. The doubling cube is designed to increase the odds of the match and its induction in the world of backgammon is one of the principal causes why the game of backgammon has gained popularity. The doubling cube consists of 6 faces with the numbers 2, 4, 8,16,32,64. At the onset, the doubling cube is positioned beside the board or on the Bar in-between the players. Any player, who realizes that he is ahead at any point in the match, may propose to double the odds by putting the doubling cube with the number 2 in a face up position.

The cube can pass from player to player, each time raising the stakes. A lot of informal backgammon players are not familiar with the doubling cube, but it adds an important amount of new tactics into the game. Here are some pointers on how the doubling cube can be used. 1. Backgammon can be played as a series of matches, with players aiming to hit a particular amount of points to claim victory. The player with the highest score wins. 2. Every game ensues with an initial score of one point. The doubling cube is positioned in the middle of the bar and is not manipulated by either competitor. 3. When a player sees some advantage prior to the rolling of the dice, the player offers a double. 4. The opponent may reject the offer, but in return, forfeits the game. 5. If the opponent accepts the proposal, the worth of the game hits twice the value (hence, 1 becomes 2, 2 become 4, and so on). The accepting player seizes control of the doubling cube and is the sole player who can propose the next double. 6.

Some competitors utilize 'beavers': when an offer to double is made, a player may redouble at once while still in control of the cube. The original player who offers the double may reject or accept the proposal, like with a regular double. 7. In automatic doubling, when the initial roll is doubles, the worth of the game is 2 points. The cube stays in the middle with no player controlling it. Learning to use the doubling cube in backgammon is also a way of enhancing your playing skills. It can increase your winnings as you win twice the amount of your original bet. So go ahead, use the doubling cube. Backgammon Doubling Advanced Strategy - Backgammon Doubling Backgammon Doubling Adavanced Strategy Advanced Strategy for Backgammon Doubling Though backgammon has been around for 2,000 years, the introduction of the doubling cube in the mid-1920s in New York revolutionized the game and took it to the next level. The next level is to play backgammon online, against many opponents, and to win.

The doubling cube elevated backgammon from an interesting game of racing to beat your opponent in getting all 15 of your checkers off the board and blocking his moves to an intriguing game of strategy and skill. Here are some things every player needs to know about doubling: The doubling cube is slightly larger than regular dice and has six sides marked with these numbers - 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64 - that basically serve to mark the value of the game. At the beginning of each game, the cube is placed in the center of the bar with the "64" side facing up. At any point during the game, the player set to roll can turn the cube to "2" and offer a double by saying "I double" instead of rolling his dice. His opponent has two choices: give up the game, losing a point and set up the pieces for the next game. Or he can accept the cube and the value of the game is doubled, meaning a single win is worth 2 points, a gammon worth 4 points and a backgammon worth 6 points.

Having accepted the cube, only he has the right to redouble to the 4-level at some future point of the game. Among experienced players, most games end at the 1, 2 or 4-level. In games lasting a few hours, you might see a few 8-cubes. It is very rare to see a double cube reach the 16-level. And games with 16 and 32-cubes being used indicate players who don't know what they are doing. So how do you know when to take a double? Take a double only if you have at least a 25 percent chance of winning the game and are unlikely to lose a gammon or backgammon. If you can be gammoned, you need better than a 25 percent chance of winning to take a double. How much depends on how likely you are to lose a gammon, so anticipate potential problems that lie ahead for you in the game and let that guide your decision making. Deciding to drop a game when someone offers you a double is easy because you know exactly how much you'll lose. Evaluating whether to take a double is more difficult.

The more experienced you are, the better you'll be able to analyze a game and make the right decision. How do you know when to offer a double? Offering a double is more complicated than accepting one. On one hand, you don't want to double too late because your opponent will give up, leaving you able to win only one point vs. a possible two or four through a gammon or backgammon. On the other hand, doubling too early will give your opponent too many chances to turn the game around. The rule of thumb is that you only offer an initial double if your chances of winning are 68 to 69 percent or more; you offer a redouble if your chances of winning are greater than 71 to 72 percent. During the game, there's no way to realistically calculate your chance of winning, but with experience you'll learn to make a reasonable estimate. The better you get at estimating, the stronger a player you'll become. Ask yourself two questions when thinking about doubling: Am I in a better position than my opponent? To answer this question, consider whether you are ahead in the race, have more blocking points, more back checkers advanced and whether your opponent is on the bar.

Could the position change decisively in my favor on the next roll? - This involves evaluating whether you are on the verge of crushing your opponent. If the answer to both questions is yes, doubling or a redouble are a good option to consider. Remember this: just because you can double with sure knowledge your opponent will pass doesn't mean you should. Though having your opponent pass on the double assures you of two points, if you kept the cube and continued playing you have the possibility to win a gammon and score four points. If lucky, you could score backgammon and six points. The Jacoby Rule In most backgammon clubs around the country, head to head games are played with the Jacoby rule. Designed to speed up play and prevent long boring games, the Jacoby rule says no gammon can be scored unless a double has been played and accepted. The downside is that you can only play n for a gammon if you already own the double cube and not if it is still centered. The Jacob rule is not used in tournament play. Playing with Beavers The beaver rule is an optional rule in money play that allows you, when doubled, to turn the cube one extra level and still retain ownership.

You must beaver immediately upon being doubled. Here's how it works: white, owning the cube on 2, decide to double to 4. Instead of taking the cube, white catches this bad mistake and turns it one more notch to 8, keeping it on his side and announcing, "I beaver." After you beaver, you can redouble to 16 on your next turn if you want. Beavers add an extra measure of skill to the game. The beaver adds an extra twist to doubling rules and is a great way to punish players who use doubles unwisely. If you are playing a private game, you should ask if beavers are permitted. Beavers are never allowed in tournament play. OnlineBackgammon.org » Blog Archive Advanced Rules of Backgammon - OnlineBackgammon.org Articles Advanced Rules of Backgammon Backgammon is a game that’s based on skill, strategy and a little bit of luck.

Playing online Backgammon can be a more straight forward way for players to learn the principles and rules of the game since typically Backgammon software does not allow players to do anything outside of the rules of the game, which they might be able to do incidentally when learning on a Backgammon board. But, regardless of the way they choose to play, it is essential that they have an understanding of the more basic and the advanced Backgammon rules. To understand the more advanced rules, players first need to get a grasp of the more simple ones. Overview of the Basic Backgammon Rules (see complete guide to Basic Backgammon Rules for more details) The Backgammon board looks the same whether you play online or using a physical board (though sometimes colors may vary). There are 24 points on the Backgammon board which are triangles, there are 6 triangles grouped together in 4 different quadrants and the colors of the triangles alternate. Each player has their own section of the board, and the point on the outermost point is referred to as the 24 point. Players setup the board, and then they must decide who goes first by rolling the dice.

The player with the higher number goes first and they play the dice that they already rolled. In Backgammon, each die must be played separately whenever possible. As they move around the board, players cannot move to any point that already has two of their opponent’s checkers on it, which is how strategy comes into play while one player tries to block the other from succeeding. The ultimate objective is not get all checkers to the home board and then remove the checkers from the board entirely by bearing off, which involves rolling the dice and getting the number that corresponds to each point that a checker is sitting on. There’s little strategy once players get to the point of bearing off. Betting in Backgammon is recorded using a doubling cube. Players have the option to raise the stakes before they roll the dice anytime it’s their turn. However, the other player is able to refuse the raise. There’s no limit to how many times the stakes can be doubled in Backgammon, though players cannot do it two turns in a row. The doubling cube has numbers which correspond to the stakes to keep track of betting.

Advanced Rules of Backgammon Players that have a basic understanding of the rules of Backgammon outlined above can move onto learn about the more advanced rules. Some of them are optional when playing Backgammon online or on a physical board, and players have the option of deciding whether they’d like to put some of the rules into play or not. When playing online Backgammon, these selections can be made when setting up a new table and setting the options. Beavers this is optional. Typically, when players raise the stakes with the doubling cube, it stays on their side of the table. After they’ve made their play, they typically have to give the doubling cube up again. When the Beavers rule is in play, they can keep the doubling cube and redouble the stakes before the opponent rolls their dice. When Beavers are in play, stakes of the game can really increase, so it’s a rule that can really apply to the high-rollers in Backgammon who have a decent bankroll!

Racoons this advanced Backgammon rule works similarly to Beavers and allows players to redouble the beaver right away Crawford rule – with the Crawford rule, the doubling cube is taken out of play when a player is one point away from winning a match. This means that stakes can’t be raised for one single game in the match. However, once that rule has been applied, the next game in the match resumes with use of the doubling cube as normal. Of course, this rule only applies when players are playing match play rather than single games of Backgammon. The Jacoby Rule in theory, the Jacoby rule encourages players to raise the stakes because if the doubling cube has not been used at least one time during a game, gammons and backgammons only count as one point. This rule can also speed up the conclusion of a game when one player has a distinct advantage. Note: in online Backgammon, many of the above advanced rules are applied to single games and match games. In single games, players have the option to resume another game with the same rules and stakes applied, or start fresh.

In match play, the rules apply until the conclusion, the same as with tournaments Specific Rules for Online Play For those playing Backgammon online, there are a couple of specific rules that address technological need. Players that want to resign from a game for whatever reason, have the option to do so, provided the other player accepts the resignation. A player who resigns either from a single game or a match can only do so if the outcome of the game is certain (meaning the player resigning has no hope of winning). If a resigning player resigns as a gammon, twice the number of points are lost, or from a backgammon where three times the points he/she had are lost. Since players using online Backgammon sites may become disconnected , most online Backgammon sites have specific policies in place to address this. Many offer players 3 minutes to reconnect and then they’re able to resume the game directly. Any longer, and the game is considered loss so their points are deducted. Backgammon and the Doubling Cube BACKGAMMON AND THE DOUBLING CUBE -- JUST THE FACTS by Bill Davis A person could dedicate his entire life studying the history of backgammon. Much has been written about the game over the years.

But there is one historical backgammon topic that remains for the most part, a mystery: the introduction of doubling and the invention of the doubling cube. David Levy, in a 2003 GammOnLine forum discussion, references Francis Willughby’s Book of Games: a 17th Century Treatise on Sports, Games, and Pastimes (ca 1660 in England), edited by David Cram, Jeffrey L. Forgeng and Dorothy Johnston, and published by Ashgate in 2003. In “Ticktack,” one of the described backgammon-like games, doubling the stakes is part of the rules. The term “vie” means to double. If a player accepts the double, he says “I see it.” Otherwise, he can yield the game. The big difference is that only the initial “vie” doubles the stakes. Future “vies” in the same game triple and next quadruple the stakes. But that is ancient history and doesn’t relate directly to our game.

Permitting players to optionally double and redouble the stakes prior to rolling was responsible for backgammon’s resurgence in the United States (and later across the globe) from about 1927 into the 1930s. Over the past two years, CHICAGO POINT has collected a treasure trove of backgammon doubling information from old newspapers, magazines, and books. Special thanks to Ed Bennett (who made a trip to the New York City Racquet & Tennis Club and interviewed the older players), Ken Bame, Chris Bray, Frank Frigo, Kathleen Davis, David Levy, Maurice Barie, Vic Morawski, and Grant Schneider for their help in this project. Let us first list all of the facts we know regarding doubling and the cube. (There are underlined links to the most important referenced information.) Eventually, we will analyze the known information and make our best guess on what we really know. In the meantime, IF YOU CAN PROVIDE AN EARLIER REFERENCE FOR ANY OF THE MATERIAL SHOWN BELOW, PLEASE E-MAIL US.Bill Davis . The most commonly quoted year for the introduction of doubling into backgammon is 1925.

The following writers/publications reference that year: 1. George Mead Rushmore, Racquet & Tennis Club: Some History and Some Memories (1964), page 92. [ View article ] 2. National Geographic Society wire service, “Backgammon Hits It Big,” New Castle (PA) News (June 6, 1973). 3. Mike Goodman, “Backgammon Hustlers--And How They Do It,” Los Angeles (CA) Times (January 26, 1975). 4. Jacqueline Smith, “Oldest Game in History Earns Popularity in U.S. And Gains Followers Here,” Naples (FL) Daily News (April 4, 1976). Note that all of the articles published in the 1970s might have used the 1964 Rushmore article as their reference. . These men are credited with introducing the concept of doubling: 1. GRAND DUKE DMITRI (PAVLOVICH) credited by Charles Cooke, “The Talk of the Town," New Yorker (Sept. 6, 1930), pp. 12-13 [ View Article ].

Also credited by John Longacre, “To Double or Not to Double,” Vanity Fair (July 1931), page 52. [ View Article ] (L) Coco Chanel & Grand Duke Dmitri--circa 1921. (R) Grand Duke Dmitri, son Paul, and wife Audrey Emery--Nov. 1931. 2. JACK WEMPLE credited by George Mead Rushmore, Racquet & Tennis Club: Some History and Some Memories (1964), page 92. [ View Article ] An article in the October 1931 Harper's Bazaar magazine sheds additional light on the introduction of doubling: The October 1931 Harper's Bazaar magazine, page 171 [View article] offers the most thorough investgation into how doubling in backgammon came about. The article titled "The Backgammon Boom" by Walter L. Richard discussed how the introdution of doubling and chouette play was fueling a rapid increase in the game's popularity throughout the United States "over the past two years." According to other respected backgammon figures of that era, Walter L. Richard was considered a very thorough and trustworthy individual.

Harold L. Thorne (author of Backgammon in Twenty Minutes and Backgammon Tactics) called him “...the deepest student the game has yet known.” Lelia Hattersley (author, How To Play The New Backgammon and Backgammon To Win) said about Mr. Richard’s methods, “…intuition is set aside in favor of precise knowledge.” A brief biography of Richard appears on the back of the dust cover of his Complete Backgammon (v1940), first published in 1931. [View Walter L. Richard biography] We don’t know anything other than what we have read about Walter L. Richard. However, based on that alone, we believe Mr. Richard to have been a reputable man with no agenda other than to provide the most accurate historical doubling information possible based on what was known in 1931. The following information can be extracted from Mr. Richard’s October 1931 Harper’s Bazaar article: 1. It is impossible to say who definitely originated doubling.

Jean Nicolopoulo, described in 1930 as an outstanding backgammon enthusiast of the Travellers Club (Paris), said doubling was employed for years in the East before being tried in Occidental countries. 2. The first use of doubling in Europe (automatic or during play) originated in a game played in Paris in 1926 between The Grand Duke Dmitri of Russia and Aksel de Wichfeld of Denmark. Those two players reported that to them, their idea of doubling was original. 3. Messrs. Dmitri and Wichfeld induced other players at the Paris Travellers Club to adapt doubling and in about 1928, some Travellers Club players went to New York and introduced it to the Racquet and Tennis Club of New York City. Some of the friends of John P. Wemple declared that he was the first to show the new feature to them. Mentioning Mr. Wemple makes sense as the book Racquet & Tennis Club: Some History and Some Memories (1964) by George Meade Rushmore credits him with introducing doubling into the Racquet and Tennis Club. Mr. Rushmore believes the introduction occurred in 1925, but Mr.

Richard writes that doubling was introduced in 1928. 1928 cannot be correct because the 1928 edition of Modern Backgammon [see below] discusses the introduction of doubling (and chouettes). Since Modern Backgammon includes a foreword by author Grosvenor Nicholas dated January 4, 1928, the advent of doubling in the United States must have occured prior to 1928. One man is credited with inventing the doubling cube: W. WHITEWRIGHT WATSON credited by John De St. Jorre, Racquet & Tennis Club: An Historical Report (2007), page 148. [ View Article ] . W. Whitewright Watson playing backgammon at a 1931 winter charity party in Palm Beach, Florida. (Tyrone PA Daily Herald; Feb. 2, 1931) Other references to the origin of doubling include: 1. Frank Crowninshield, “Bridge or Backgammon?” in Vogue (September 14, 1929), pp. 90 & 188.

“It remained for a group of enthusiasts at the Racquet Club in New York to invent a further hazard in the shape of ‘matches and doubles.’” [ View Article ] 2. J. Van Cleft Cooper, “Learn Backgammon In 5 Minutes a Day” column in the Lowell (MA) Sun, (Oct. 3, 1930). “The doubling feature of bridge has been adapted to modern Backgammon." [See below] 3. Grosvenor Nicholas, Modern Backgammon (1928) p. 23. “It is said that the doubling, which has so greatly increased the possibilities of the game, as well as its popularity, was first originated on the continent of Europe in connection with the game of golf.” 4. National Geographic Society wire story, New Castle (PA) News (June 6, 1973) p. 17. “Backgammon’s rules were codified by England’s Edmond Hoyle in 1743 and remained virtually unchanged until 1925, when some unknown American invented the doubling cube.” 5. John Longacre, Backgammon of Today (1930), pp. 3-4.

“The development and perfection of what may fairly be called -- in this country, at least -- the Backgammon of today, may be attributed to two New York clubs in which the game has been played intensively for over a generation.” 6. George Mead Rushmore, Racquet & Tennis Club: Some History and Some Memories (1964), page 92. “. . . at least one writer on the subject says it came from Scotland or England.” [ View Article ] 7. Oswald Jacoby & John R. Crawford, The Backgammon Book (1970), page 111. “We don’t know who first added the doubling feature to backgammon, but we feel we owe him a great debt.” J. Van Cleft's suggestion that "The Doubling feature of bridge has been adapted to modern Backgammon" has merit: Rolling the Doubling Cube - GammonVillage Magazine Rolling the Doubling Cube 1 February 2014 Douglas Zare Backgammon stands out from other games of skill and chance because of the doubling cube. In fact, the doubling cube could be added to many other activities, even spectator sports.

However, many casual players don't know how the doubling cube is used. While it is good to learn the rules of checker play first, many experienced casual players have never learned to use the doubling cube. One said, "I think after you play the game, you roll the doubling cube to see how many points you win." Well, that's creative. The doubling cube does resemble a large die. What can you learn from rolling it? In this column we will see two applications of the idea of rolling the doubling cube. A game of dice Suppose you get to choose between rolling the doubling cube (labeled 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64) and an ordinary die (labeled 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6). I'll roll the other. The game will be to roll the larger number. Given the choice, you would pick the doubling cube, of course. Because the nth number on the doubling cube is larger than the nth number on the regular die, it is clearly better to choose to roll the cube even though it is possible to lose by rolling a 2 or 4 against a 5, for example, or we could tie.

To make it more fair, let's say that when you roll the ordinary die, the numbers are multiplied by 5. So, a roll showing 3 pips would be 15. This has the side benefit of eliminating ties. Which die should you choose? Now the game is much closer, and perhaps it isn't obvious which has an advantage.

Question: In which board game do players use a ‘doubling cube’, which has the numbers 2,4,8,16,32,64 on it?
Answer: Backgammon